Dotcom back in court seeking info

Internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom has asked a court to force government agencies to hand over information they hold about him.

Kim Dotcom. Photo: RNZ / Craig McCulloch

Lawyers for Mr Dotcom are asking the North Shore District Court to order the Security Intelligence Service and Immigration New Zealand to hand over all documents held about his permanent residency application, which was granted in November 2010.

The same court denied a similar application from Mr Dotcom in May this year.

Previously unseen documents given to the New Zealand Herald in July this year refer to political pressure to grant the residency application in 2010, despite a pending investigation by the FBI, prompting Mr Dotcom to renew his court application.

Mr Dotcom, a German national with New Zealand residency, is facing extradition to the United States over copyright and money-laundering charges, but this hearing has been delayed.

His lawyer Paul Davison, QC, told the court today that information backs up his client's theory that he was granted residency because it would make it easier for the FBI to extradite him to the United States. He said the court should, therefore, grant the new disclosure order.

Crown lawyer Christine Gordon says is no evidence that Mr Dotcom was granted permanent residency for New Zealand to make it easier to extradite him later on.

Ms Gordon told the court the documents show that the SIS urged Immigration New Zealand to talk to police about the FBI investigation. She said agency would not have done that if it was trying to clear obstacles to Mr Dotcom's residency.